The following background information may present examples of specific aspects of the prior art (e.g., without limitation, approaches, facts, or common wisdom) that, while expected to be helpful to further educate the reader as to additional aspects of the prior art, is not to be construed as limiting the present invention, or any embodiments thereof, to anything stated or implied therein or inferred thereupon.
Generally, smoke detectors that detect the products of combustion and sound an alarm when a concentration threshold is exceeded are coming into widespread use. Since most are powered by batteries or house current and permanently placed in rooms, recreational vehicles and the like, each room to be fully protected must include a separate detector. When the alarm sounds, the person immediately evacuates the building. The use of smoke detectors as well as carbon monoxide detectors have become much more common and widespread than in the past.
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarming devices, manufactured in their most common configuration for homes, etc., provide a level of self-assurance and are a must to have in any home for safety; while a slightly more sophisticated configuration can be found in every office, institution and industry setting. It is known that many jurisdictions require smoke detectors be strategically placed within both residential and commercial buildings at the time of construction or during remodeling recognizing that such devices can and oftentimes do save lives. Similarly, carbon monoxide detectors have become more widespread recognizing that carbon monoxide, although deadly, is an odorless gas preventing one's senses from recognizing the inherent danger.
Typically, LED light bulbs are manufactured in most any style lamp to match older incandescent bulbs, and even newer halogen, florescent, etc. type bulbs, to give illumination. These devices are very useful and use just a fraction of energy to operate them over prior art lighting technologies. Most LED lamps are produced using 120 VAC Line power (220/230 VAC depending where in the world they are marketed) as the supply voltage, to provide and easy and convenient direct replacement, and are found more and more homes, offices and industry.
While it is obvious that these independent devices have tremendous acceptance around the world, it is their independent character that leads to problematic situations. For example, even though lights are virtually everywhere in a home, should a smoke detector audibly signal an alarm, the lights do not turn on to aid in firstly, a visual signaling of the alarm, and secondly, to illuminate the affected area. Another problem is when a smoke detector signals alarm from a minor mishap; such as someone burning toast. This has virtually happened to everyone, and the results are that the smoke detector is disassembled by removing the battery to silence the ‘nuisance’ alarm, or if powered by line, disconnecting the line power; just to keep peace. Still another example is when these battery operated smoke and carbon monoxide/gas detecting devises run low on battery power, they emit an audible ‘chirp’ to indicate their battery needs to be replaced.
Although this is good and practical information, many such as elderly or the disabled, can do nothing to stop the constant chirping of a low battery smoke or carbon monoxide detector device. They must simply stay in their homes and endure the annoyance of the audible chirping until an able boded person can change-out the battery. This situation of changing batteries can be a challenge even too many so called normal people; due to lack of being able climb a step ladder or stand on a stool.
In many instances, having a light bulb that incorporates a smoke detector, carbon monoxide detector or gas detector (such as natural gas, propane gas or radon gas), and, with a rechargeable battery, would greatly reduce or eliminate the aforementioned problems. Such a device would be configured to replace any conventional light bulb in table lamps, recessed ceiling fixtures, furniture lamps, track lighting, nightlights, etc., and operate as usual with respect to lighting. When AC Line power is provided, the light will illuminate. Further the AC Line power will keep the rechargeable battery at full charge, and provide power for the detecting circuits of smoke or carbon monoxide. When the AC Line is OFF, the battery will keep alive necessary circuitry to monitor for smoke or carbon monoxide and would signal alarm if necessary.
A light bulb that incorporates a smoke, carbon monoxide or gas detectors, and, with a rechargeable battery would signal alarm both audibly and visually. The audible signal would be the familiar piercing pulsation of sound, and, the visual signaling would be a strobing alternately of high intensity white and colored LED's. The colored LED's would indicate the ‘type’ of danger present, such as red for smoke and amber for carbon monoxide and blue for gas (all being a dangerous environment, and, if just repeating the alarm would indicate the alarm in green strobing light; meaning the area does not have the presence of smoke, carbon monoxide or gas; but is nearby.
In the case of an annoyance signaling of an alarm, such as the earlier mentioning of burning toast, the apparatus further would incorporate a silencing circuit. This silencing circuit would listen, between the audible pulse emissions. If it hears two sharply structured reverberations, such as in someone shouting the words (within its silencing range) “SHUT OFF” within the brief window of time, the device would suspend the alarm state, for example one minute. If the air was not cleared after that period of suspension of time, the alarm would continue. The user could tell it to shut-up again until all air is clear. No one need to remove the battery just to make peace and quiet.
An improved apparatus would also include a testing means of both the audible and visual alarming, such as by turning the apparatus ON/OFF/ON in quick succession, within one second to activate a test mode. In the test mode the alarm state will last for five second, or, be silenced via a silence command response.
In the case of a low battery situation, for example in a room that is rarely used like a guest bedroom, the device would ‘chirp’ as usual in prior art, if the battery gets too low. But unlike the situation mentioned above, where a helpless individual has had to endure the continued annoyance of the chirping low battery detector, the user of the present invention would simple turn the lamp or fixture ON for a short period of time. This would sufficiently re-charge the battery and chirping would immediately stop.
The present patent provides structure to effect a more efficient means to both illuminate rooms in any home or building as well as provide smoke and/or carbon monoxide and/or gas detection to signal alarm; all in one direct replaceable package, configured to any conventional light bulb of any technology. The result of this unique approach, reduces the stressful need to silence annoyance alarms by removing the battery until the air is cleared, and, the painful enduring of low battery chirping. Alarm signaling means are both audible and visual, and work either on AC Line power or its own rechargeable DC battery power.
Further, the present patent makes it favorably ease to install. One needs only to replace their current prior art light bulb with the improved LED light bulb apparatus with smoke or carbon monoxide or gas detection and signaling, of the disclosed device. A home or building could have as many of these improved light/smoke detecting (carbon monoxide detection or gas) lamps as there are fixtures, creating a network of alarm signaling devices; greatly improving the self-assurance of lives.
Further, the undesirable effects of independent lights and smoke/carbon monoxide/gas detections devices of prior art are all eliminated. If the contemplated optional short-range communications connectivity circuit is present in the device, and an alarm is activated by one unit, other similar devices within the defined range can also activate their alarms; giving further rise to a potentially dangerous situation.
This networking of these improved lighting/detecting apparatuses would give a possible safer escape route by the colored LED light at each localized alarming device. That is, red indicating smoke is present, amber indicating carbon monoxide is present, blue indicating gas is present, and green meaning neither smoke nor carbon monoxide is present, but, in a repeat alarm state to give rise of a danger within range (nearby) of another network device that is signaling a danger alarm.
Other proposals have involved illuminating alarms. The problem with these alarms is that they are not networked to each other to indicate an event in another section of the structure and also to indicate an exit pathway. Also, the batteries often run out of energy, thereby causing the alarm to be inoperable. Even though the above cited alarms meets some of the needs of the market, an apparatus used as an illuminating light bulb that also functions as an alarming device, and more particular to the detection of smoke, carbon monoxide or gas for signaling alarms of the presence thereof is still desired.
In the field of Light Emitting Diode (LED) light bulbs, there exists a need to expand their usefulness. Likewise, in the fields of smoke and/or carbon monoxide/gas detection devices, there exist a need to enlarge their utility. In countless applications of these devices, there is no crossover of functionality, where the placement of an illuminating light bulb could also signal and alarm of a deadly element present in the immediate environment: said signaling that could produce both an audible and visual alarm.